Is a local number always going to be the cheapest route?

In most cases a local number will be the cheapest route for receiving inmate calls. But in the case of facilities using Securus, NCIC or City TeleCoin we get out of state numbers to save you money. Sometimes our service can save you as much as $12.00 per phone call, other times it will not save anything. If you would like to get an honest assessment, let us know the name of the facility and your telephone number before you sign up. Here is how the industry works: The phone service at any particular correctional center is set up through bid process. Whomever has the contract for all inmate outbound calling and to tape record the calls - essentially has a monopoly. Therefore, you have to use them to receive any calls. The choice is whether you pay them for a long distance call (to your number) or a local call (to a number that we get you). If you are already local, we cannot save you money unless the carrier is Securus or CityTeleCoin. We get you a local line matching the rate center of town where the jail is. Your inmate dials this local number and it will ring on your current phone (nothing changes on your end). You will need to register the local number with the prison phone service (just like you would your long distance number without our service) who will charge you only for the local call. If your inmate can buy calling cards from the commissary, you will not need to go online and set this up, they can dial the local number direct with the card. InmateAid takes care of the long distance portion of the call. In general, their price for an long distance call ranges from $4-15 per call. With the local number, they usually charge less than $1.65 per call - flat rate. The difference in two call prices is why people use the service, the savings from InmateAid pays for itself usually in 3-6 calls.